The evolution of low-floor buses has been integral to the advancement of accessible public transport. London, a city with a rich history of bus innovation, has witnessed both pioneering developments and missed opportunities in this field. The XRM project by London Transport in the 1970s stands out as a significant, yet unrealised, leap towards wheelchair accessibility at a time when such considerations were rare.
The Bristol Lodekka: A Step-Free Milestone, but Not Wheelchair Accessible
The Bristol Lodekka, introduced in 1949, was the first production double-decker bus to feature a step-free lower deck, eliminating the need for passengers to climb steps from the entrance throughout the lower saloon. This was achieved through a drop-centre rear axle and an innovative chassis design, allowing a lower overall height and improved passenger comfort. However, despite its step-free interior, the Lodekka did not provide true wheelchair accessibility, as steps remained at the entrance and no specific provisions were made for wheelchair users.
The Development of Low-Floor and Low-Entry Buses
The concept of the low-floor bus characterised by a floor close to street level and step-free access-gained traction in the late 20th century, particularly in Europe. The Neoplan N416, launched in the late 1980s, was among the first fully low-floor buses to enter series production, setting a precedent for future urban bus designs. German and Austrian manufacturers, including Neoplan and Steyr, played a significant role in developing low-floor and low-entry technologies, with the latter referring to buses that are low-floor at the front but have steps towards the rear, balancing accessibility with structural requirements.
The Steyr Citybus, an Austrian innovation, was an early attempt at producing a small, accessible city bus. Its compact design and low-floor layout were intended to improve urban mobility, though it remained a niche product. These developments reflected a broader European trend towards inclusive design, culminating in the widespread adoption of low-floor buses in the 1990s and 2000s.
The XRM Project: London’s Visionary Yet Unfulfilled Accessible Bus
In the early 1970s, London Transport initiated the XRM (Experimental Routemaster) project, aiming to create a new generation of accessible double-decker buses. The XRM was designed with a low-floor chassis and a flat lower deck, explicitly intended to facilitate wheelchair access-a radical concept for its time. Its innovative features included a front entrance, wide doors, and a dedicated space for wheelchair users, anticipating accessibility needs decades ahead of mainstream adoption.
The XRM project, however, was ultimately abandoned in the early 1980s before reaching production. According to detailed contemporary accounts, the decision was influenced by a combination of financial constraints, technical uncertainties, and institutional inertia. London Transport’s management at the time was hesitant to commit to a radical departure from established designs, and there was a lack of political momentum to prioritise accessibility. The project’s shelving meant that London missed a crucial opportunity to pioneer wheelchair-accessible public transport in the 1970s.
Progress Through the Disabled Passengers Unit and Early Accessibility Efforts
In the absence of a mainstream accessible fleet, London Transport’s Unit for Disabled Passengers (later the Disabled Passengers Unit) introduced initiatives such as Mobility Buses with wheelchair lifts in the 1980s and 1990s. These vehicles operated on select routes and provided essential, albeit limited, access for disabled passengers.
The CVE Omni, introduced in the late 1980s, was one of the first London buses to incorporate a low-entry design and dedicated wheelchair space, demonstrating the feasibility of accessible public transport, though its adoption was limited.
The Rollout of Low-Floor Buses in London
The 1990s marked a turning point. In or around 1993, route 222 became the first single-deck route in London to operate low-floor buses, quickly followed by route 120, both using Dennis Lance/Wright-bodied vehicles. The trial expanded to include Scania/Wright low-floor single-deck buses on route 101 a year later. These trials proved the viability of low-floor technology, and by 1996/7, most single-deck buses in London were of this type. The first double-deck route to be made low-floor was the 242 in December 1998, using Alexander Dennis-bodied DAF vehicles. The last new high-floor double-deckers entered service around 1999, and by the end of 2005, the entire London bus network was low-floor and wheelchair accessible, meeting Transport for London’s (TfL) targets.
TfL’s commitment to accessibility was formally recognised in 2007 with an Independent Living Award, highlighting the transformation of London’s bus fleet into one of the world’s most accessible.
Conclusion
A key reason for the slow progress towards accessible public transport in earlier decades was perhaps a widespread lack of awareness or acknowledgement of the needs of individuals with limited mobility. Society, at large, did not prioritise or accommodate these requirements. However, as perspectives evolved, there was a growing commitment to creating transport systems that embraced inclusivity, enabling greater independence for all users. Although initial steps were taken during the 1970s and 1980s, significant momentum was only gained from the 1990s onwards. It is gratifying to have observed this transformation first-hand, particularly the achievement of a fully accessible bus fleet across London.
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Further reading
The Proposed Successors to the AEC Routemaster Before the Three-Door, Two-Staircase Hybrid New Routemaster Bus
Image attributions
By Rwendland - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=125252152
By No machine-readable author provided. Tilius assumed (based on copyright claims). - No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=534692
By János Korom Dr. from Wien, Austria - Tram Museum (22), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31710519
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